Danish wind turbine manufacturer Vestas has announced plans to further expand its American manufacturing presence by establishing a new blade factory and a nacelle assembly factory in Brighton, Colo. The nacelle assembly factory will be Vestas' first in the U.S. The new blade factory will supplement the existing factory in Windsor, Colo.
The company says it chose the new site because of Brighton's central location, easy access to rail services and highway infrastructure, and proximity to the plant in Windsor.
In order to establish a complete supply chain for the factory in Brighton, Vestas Nacelles will set up a purchasing office in Chicago to be close to the extensive Northeast network of suppliers. A combined technology and production engineering office will also be established at the Brighton facility to equip the factories with the right quality and continuous improvement competences.
‘By bringing more than 1,350 additional jobs here, Vestas is cementing its standing as one of Colorado's pioneering partners in the New Energy Economy,’ says Gov. Bill Ritter, D-Colo. ‘I look forward to continuing the relationship for years to come. My administration has worked closely with Vestas to make the Brighton project a reality. This only adds momentum to our efforts to diversify our economy and grow these modern-energy industries of the future.’
The nacelle assembly factory will have an annual production capacity of 1,400 nacelles. With an output of 1,800 blades per year, the blade factory in Brighton will match the annual output of the Windsor plant, bringing the company's production capacity for wind turbine blades in the U.S. to 3,600 per year. Vestas' tower factory, also to be built in Colorado, will have a production capacity of 900 towers per year, according to the company.
SOURCE: Vestas
